Saints quarterback Derek Carr announced his surprising but not shocking retirement from the NFL on Saturday. During offseason training, Carr discovered a throwing shoulder injury that would have required surgery, and he has now decided to step away from football at the age of 34.
The Saints are oddly well prepared for Carr's departure. They were already geared up to move on from him in 2026 for financial reasons and were already thinking about quarterbacks of the future this offseason. Carr's shoulder injury only accelerated the Saints' urgency in finding a young passer to step into his shoes.